1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to filtering content data over a wide area network and, more particularly, to a system and method for using a DNS server operating on a wide area network to enable an authorized reception device to receive (or be provided with) restricted content data associated with a particular wide area network address and redefine the domain name associated with a particular wide area network address.
2. Description of Related Art
Wide area networks, such as the Internet, are commonly used to share information between multiple computing devices. This is done by storing information at an address that is recognizable to a remote computing device, and linking that address to a name that is recognizable to a person operating that remote computing device. With regard to the Internet, information is stored at Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and those IP addresses are linked to particular domain names. This linked information (i.e., between IP addresses and particular domain names) is provided to the multiple computing devices through the use of a domain name system (DNS) server.
DNS servers are generally used servers (i.e., used by more than one remote computing device) that provide remote computing devices with IP address information. If a remote computing device is instructed to gather information pertaining to a particular domain name, the remote computing device communicates with a DNS server to retrieve the IP address associated with that particular domain name. The DNS server uses a look-up table, which contains linked information between IP addresses and domain names, to determine what IP address is associated with that particular domain name. The DNS server then provides the proper IP address to the remote computing device. The remote computing device can then gather information (as originally instructed) by requesting the information from a content server operating on that IP address.
There are two main problems associated with such an information location system. These problems stem from the fact that the remote computing devices retrieve information in roughly the same manner. That is, each remote computing device requests information from IP addresses that are provided by generally used DNS servers. Thus, the first problem associated with such a system is that each remote computing device must install its own content blocking software in order to limit the nature and explicitness of the information that it is capable of retrieving. Without this content blocking software, particular individuals (e.g., children, uninterested adults, etc.) can access (or be provided with) information of a sensitive nature (e.g., sex, violence, drugs, religion, etc.). The problem with using content blocking software is that it can be expensive and can decreases the processing speed of, and eliminate valuable memory space on the individual reception devices. Additionally, such software may eventually become outdated, may be cumbersome to upgrade (e.g., difficult and/or time consuming), and may even be circumvented by a sophisticated user.
The second problem associated with such an information location system is that all the remote computing devices must adhere to some industry standard domain name system (i.e., linking fixed IP addresses to predefined individualized domain names) in order to retrieve (or be provided with) information. Thus, a sports-minded individual on a particular remote computing device who enjoys receiving information from the domain name “people.preview.news.basketball.sports.msnbc.com” must continually type in this cumbersome domain name in order to receive information from the IP address associated with that domain name. If the sports-minded individual alters this domain name, either by accident (due to its cumbersome size), or intentionally (attempting to produce a shorter or more sensible name), the individual may be provided with an error message or incorrect information from another IP address that is associated with the incorrect domain name. Additionally, an individual attempting to distribute information over a particular wide area network, such as the Internet, may have a hard time finding a domain name that is easy to remember, is related to his information, is not already being used by another, and is not legally prohibited (e.g., due to trademark law, unfair competition, etc).
Thus, a need and a desire exists to have a DNS server system operating on a wide area network that enables an authorized reception device to receive (or be provided with) restricted content data associated with a particular wide area network address and redefine the domain name associated with a particular wide area network address.